UFC strawweight contender Amanda Ribas believes her former opponent, Paige VanZant, will do well as a bare-knuckle fighter in BKFC.

Ribas and VanZant fought in the Octagon in July, 2020, with the former winning by submission. The fight marked the final obligation on VanZant’s UFC contract. After a period of free agency, she signed with BKFC, and is slated to debut against Britain Hart on February 5.

Despite sharing the Octagon together quite recently, Ribas and VanZant now regularly train together at American Top Team.

Speaking to MMA Fighting, Ribas opened up on her training with VanZant, revealing that they help each other quite a bit.

“It’s really different because my last camp was to fight against her, and now she’s helping me in this camp, and I’m helping her for her [BKFC] boxing,” Ribas said. “It’s cool. It’s amazing and we can show everybody that it’s professional. I’m not mad at her, she’s not mad at me. It’s professional.

“If she can help me, yes she will,” Ribas added. “If I can help her, I will help her. We are martial artists. We’re artists, not just crazy people throwing punches at each other. We are athletes. It’s amazing.”

Having gotten to know VanZant in the Octagon and on the mats at American Top Team, Ribas feels her former foe will thrive under the BKFC banner.

“She’s a really smart girl, Ribas said of VanZant. “She has a really big heart and, I think for her, it will be good because no one who has a weak heart, or is a little scared, can fight like that without gloves. For her, I think it will be a big step to get money because they pay her really good. I think it will be really good.”

What do you think of these comments from Amanda Ribas? How do you think Paige VanZant will perform in the BKFC ring?